Being Steady in God’s Promises
Monday’s Verse:
From Psalm 46:1 ESV
“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.”
I try really hard not to complain about my cancer woes. Just the fact that I have it terrifies me, constantly. I do my best to fake cheerfulness every morning, even when I feel weak and fatigued. Sunday afternoon, I was half-watching part of the New York Giants game. But I wasn’t really watching. All I could think about was what I would do if my treatments stopped working.
I know, I know - that is a silly way of thinking. “Stay positive,” everyone tells me. At times, it is a battle. And it is not just me. So many people I know are facing difficult circumstances, and they cannot seem to see a way through. That could be you. Constant strength is difficult to maintain. Living with your head held high, trusting in God completely, is not easy. I was thinking about some of these distressing thoughts on Sunday. I found myself thinking of Martin Luther.
The world’s favorite monk often reminded the faithful that our strength is not found in our grit and determination. It is found in the God who keeps His promises. When the pressure comes, Psalm 46 says it plainly. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Not absent. Not tardy. Present.
When difficult situations come into our lives, the first thing we do is not to clench our jaw. The first thing we do is pray. We take the circumstance to the Lord in prayer as it is, unadorned. We name our anxiety. We ask for discernment. Then we go forward in grace, not in pressure.
Difficult situations can force our eyes inward. Christ calls us to lift them up. To remember our neighbor. To behave with patience and truth. To stand firm where truth must be told. So many difficult moments become places where our faith deepens and our love is made manifest.
Today, if you’re like me, let us take rest in this promise. We do not face our struggles alone. Christ walks with us into every tough conversation and every decision that weighs on our hearts. He has already borne the ultimate burden on our behalf. Let that steady you today.
A Prayer for Today:
Dear Lord, lead me through the difficulties of life. Give me clarity, bravery, and a calm heart. May I live with love and truth. Keep me near Your Word and steady my steps. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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